 Okay, so this is a gratitude video. My best dates of 2022, and I'm throwing the challenge to everybody whose name I'm gonna mention in this video right now, that you should also look back at 2022 if you can, if you want to, if you will, and tell us which of the dates in 2022 if you can remember, or incidents. If you don't think that exact dates are going to happen, maybe a time around a certain month that certain things happen for you, you can do a video like that. So that's a challenge I'm throwing to all YouTubers who are watching me right now, especially me and AJ, me and M.O. If you want to do a separate video yourself, Nana Shanti, Anjyua, yes, I'm supposed to record this video back in Ghana and do a giveaway, but for some reason, well, adulting happens and I couldn't do it. So let's play Emotion controller, headless YouTuber, Dakmak Mapo. All of you guys, if you're watching this, you can take up the template and do a video. I would like to hear how your 2022 went and what you're looking forward to for 2023. So yeah, my year 2022 started off with me wanting to do more quality work, work that tested my patience, work that required that I work with other people. And this is something that I think I professed silently or put it out in the universe silently. And I think the universe took it very personally because I told myself that I hope to not do too much of client work in terms of documentaries and other stuff and maybe just concentrate on voiceovers and my own kind of work, the work that I want to do, creative work, films and other exploits. And the universe took it up. So the beginning of the year, I wrote my first short film, which is Jolt. Jolt has been an incredible experience for me in 2022 in filming it, in preparing, in meeting the people that I worked with, in collaborating with other creatives and putting it out in festivals. If you haven't seen Jolt, I'll link it for you to check it out after this video. So I finished writing Jolt in January. That the first January is a date to be precise. That's when I finished writing Jolt and I sent it to the producer of Jolt, my producer, Mauly, who we had been talking about these projects in December, 2021. So I told him that we need to work on it and then we did. I finished writing Jolt 31st January. So that's my first achievement or best date of 2022 starting in January. My next best date was 18th March. It's the dates when Elaine and I actually decided to start trying for a baby. And yeah, so that's when I remember that we had the conversation and took it upon ourselves to roll it out or start an action plan to start trying. So 18th of March is also really important to me because in the end, something came of it and it's been beautiful so far. Second April is also another amazing day for us. It's the day we went to pick up our baby girl, Nala. In addition to the family where we did the vlog for and everybody was expecting it to be a baby so we didn't also know that the baby was on the way. So all good, Nala came into our lives on 2nd of April, 2022. And yeah, it's been beautiful ever since. So 2nd April is one of my favorite days as well in 2022. And on 12th April, just barely two weeks after Nala came, Elaine's friends visited. We went on a group trip to Boussia and it was such a beautiful getaway for a group of people or a group of friends. It was, we went as well with Nala. So it was the first time traveling with Nala. We were just living it or just doing, I mean, as we would. And I really enjoyed that Easter holiday as well. So it's one of my best dates. The travel was smooth, Nala was a champ because we traveled for about seven hours to Boussia and not at one point did she give us any trouble or try to, you know, she didn't even puke. So 12th of April and yeah, from there, 16th of May we, no, actually no, hold up. 16th of May is my next date and I got accepted into the AU Media Fellowship. Yes, I got accepted into the AU Media Fellowship on the 16th of May. So the story about the AU Media Fellowship is actually funny because I had almost missed out on applying literally 24 hours to the deadline. Elaine and I or Elaine said that no, I should do it. She had told me way before but I was dragging my feet, not trying to do it. And then a friend of mine who is part of the program sent me a message asking if I'd be interested in wanting to join and 24 hours to time or to the deadline, Elaine and I put together mostly Elaine put together the application. Well, I had everything prepared but she did the typing, most of the typing because I told her if you want me to do it. 11 days later, still in the same month of May, we found out that we were going to be parents. I think Elaine already knew, we've already told you the story, she felt that she was but she needed to tell me in person. So on the 27th of May at the airport is when we actually talked about it for the first time with the famous, I've not been truthful to you. I don't remember exactly the quote. What's the quote? What was the quote you said in the car? That I've not told you the truth or that I've not told you the entire truth on the 27th of May? Yes, I haven't been truthful with you. That was the exact quote on the 27th of May in the car. And then she told me about how she was feeling and then we tested and it was beautiful. Yes, so 27th of May, 2022 is when we found out that we were going to be parents. And on 4th of June, things were happening like really back to back. And I don't know why I kept thinking that not so much was happening because literally 4th of June was the day we shot Jolt. And it was a full day. Behind the scenes, I'll link it. Is it here? Does it go here? I think it goes here. You can watch the behind the scenes video of Jolt, how we shot it in one day, but we have been prepping since I finished writing Jolt in January. Dealing with the actors, having rehearsals, trying to find a schedule that worked for all of us, all of us who are going to be part of the filming. So 4th of June is when we shot Jolt. And on the 29th of July was when we premiered it. We had worked on the edits back and forth. We edit music and everything. And this is the most work I've ever done with the most people as well, allowing people to do what they are best at. And I can never be more grateful than I am for the experience of Jolt. Everybody that was on Jolt's from filming it, editing it, sound, graphic design, everybody that made sure that Jolt's became a thing. Thank you, thank you so much. So yeah, Jolt's was premiered on 29th of July and everybody that came to the premiere, everybody that posted a poster or reshared it some way, somehow bought tickets to the premiere. You guys are the true MVPs. You really made my year 2022 an absolute beauty. And I'm truly grateful for that one. 7th of August, after that we had finished premiering, I put it out for festivals. And on 7th of August was the first selection that we got the first selection. And I think it was a Swedish film festival, Bauden International. And that was our first selection, 7th of August. On the 25th of August, of course, we had already discovered that we're pregnant from 27th of May. On the 25th of August is when we found out the gender of the baby. We're probably gonna tell you the gender at some point, but I don't know which day. And it dawned on me after we discovered the gender that in a way, whatever I wrote in Jolt, in January, was literally manifesting. Yeah, was literally manifesting. So this was one of the days that I was like, whoa, what's going on? So 27th or 25th of August. And on the 31st of August, we went on a holiday to Netherlands. I mean, we do a yearly trip usually, at least once every year. And I really enjoyed that too, because it was one of those times where... Babe, was it my first time since I became a freelancer that we came? I think so, right? Yeah, it was the first time since I became a freelancer because the COVID happened and we didn't get to travel for two years. So it was the first time since I became a freelancer. And it felt completely different compared to when I used to come here while I was working a corporate job because there was so much freedom. It felt relaxed. You were here for just being here. So I really enjoyed my time in... Netherlands in August or August, September. So 31st was when we flew out. And of course, after that, the second of October was my first time traveling to Ethiopia. It was our second session for training or training session for the AU Media Fellowship. And Ethiopia was beautiful. I really loved my experience in Addis Ababa and the weather, the people, the culture, the traditions. Everything was really, really... And that was my first time visiting any other African country. So that was also a big deal because I've lived in Ghana my whole life and I have traveled outside Ghana to the Netherlands. But even Togo safe, I've not been driven across the border to Togo. So I think that's something that might also change in 2023. Hopefully. At least see the two other places super closest to Ghana, left and right of the border, Kodivoa or Togo. So yeah, I really loved my experience in Ethiopia. And of course, third December was the day we actually did move to a new place. It was a Saturday that we packed everything. And the moving day was, oosh, tiring. But we managed to do it. And here we are. It's been an incredible year. And I'm really, really grateful for everybody who has been a part of it one way or the other. And I'm looking forward to a much better, much quality in relationships, in experiences, in everything that we all decided to do. I'm looking forward to a great 2023, a healthy 2023. And yeah, we all have a really good one. I don't wanna continue rumbling. This is the first video for 2023. My name is Kwame, and I make videos with my partner. She hates it when I say I make videos with my wife. So I make videos with my partner. And this is me plus you is us. And you're welcome to the channel if this is the first time watching. So the challenge again goes out to everybody who just watched this video all the way to this part. And I think I need to make a final announcement before I go that in the coming weeks, once every week, there's a collaboration with the Brain and Mind Medical Center bringing you mental health education and awareness videos, having conversations with professionals. So please look out for that. It's going to be snippets on this channel and full video on Asitna. So if you see the video and you watch it and you want to continue watching the full one, which you should because it's deeper in the full video, then please click on the Asitna link in the video as you see it and then go check it out. So I'll catch you in our next video. It's peace for now.